Ditching-machine.



E. J. SGHRAMKE. DITGEING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 18, 1908.

Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/TNESSES E; J. SGHRAMKE. DITCHIN G MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 18, 1908.

Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

u E .1 2: I I

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS O "tate' therewith, and the. sleeves are operated by levers. 24.pi.vo ted by their centers and- Units 1) STATESPATENT OFFICE. E'DwAiRD. J. sonRAiiKhjoF sAeiiiAW WEST SIDE, MICHIGAN.

' nrrtmiiaaacmnn.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Application filed June 18, 1908. 4 Serial No. 439,'ifl1.

7, leading to a treadle.28 pivoted on the cariage adjacent to the levers 9 before menoward the respective sprocket Wheels by a spring 29 encircling the shaft.

It will be evident from the description that when the t eadle is moved to make traction on the cord, the sleeves will be moved toward each other against the tension of the.

l spring, thus uncoupling the sprocket wheels constructions and combinations of 'partsherei from the shafts.

inafter described and claimed.

A pair of alined stud shafts 30. are jour Referring to the drawings forming a part i naled in bearings 31 at the front of the carhercof Figure l is a side view of the iml riage. and to the inner end of each of the tioned, and the sleeves are normally moved t provement. Fig. 2 a lan view. Fig. 3 l shafts is secured a sprocket wheel 32, con-' 15 a longitudinal section 0 the dlgglng mechnected by a cham 33 with one ofthe wheels comprises a carriage consisting of longitudinal bars 1, connected by cross bars 2, and

supported by flanged wheels 3, secured to shafts 4, 5 journaled in bearings (5 on the carriage frame. l

The wheels are adapted to run on a track 7, supported by a farm wagon or truck 8 of ordinary construction, and the carriage is moved on the truck by means of levers 9, journalcd on the shaft 5, and provided with rev'ersible panls 10 engaging ratchet wheels l112 secured to the shaft, the ratchet wheels 11 driving the carriage in one direction, and the wheels 12 driving it in the other when said wheels are rotated.

A shaft 13 is journaled in bearings 14 near the forward end of the carriage, and the outer end of the shaft. is provided with a pulley 15, connected by a belt 16, with a pulley 17, on a gasolene engine or other whereby to tighten the belt.

The shaft 13 has journaled thereon, near each end within the frame of the arr qe, a

sprocket Wheel 22, and the hub of each wheel has forn'ied thereon clutch teeth-c iipcrating with the teeth of asleeve 9.3, slida'ble longitudinally of the shaft but constrained to roeye chain 26, to-which connected a cord he free ends of the levers are connected:

'22 before, mentioned. A gear wheel 3-1 is secured eccentric-ally to each of the stud shaft-s 30-, as at 35, inside of the sprocket wheel '32, and a shaft tors of the two gear wheels. A frame comprising side bars 36, to be presently described in detail, is mounted on the shaft 35*, the end of each side bar being provided with a-hearing 37, whose parts are hinged together at one side as at 38 and secured 'at the-other by a set screw 39. of the frame are connected together, by shafts l0--4l and 42, the shafts 41 and 42 being provided with rollers and theshaft 40 with spaced sprocket wheels 44, over which rollers and wheels pass sprocket chains 45. conuectedat suitable intervals by vanes or buckets 46. The shaft $0 is also provided with a gcarwheel l7, meshing with the gearwheel 34. before mentioned, and a roller 48 is arranged at the lower 'end of the side bars, the roller being journaled i'narms' if) pivoted to the side bars as at 50, a nd each The side barsarm is provided with; segmental lug 51 pro! \ided with .a slot in which moves a set screw 52 on theside bar By looseningthe set screw, the arms may be moved to adjust the position of the roller.

A plurality of cutters 53 aresecured to the side bars, each of the cutters consisting of a plate' Fig. 5) bent to form a bottom portion (at, convex on its outer surface, and concave on its iuner,z 1nd conical in -form,'that is form flanges secured to the sidebars by rivets 56,-0r any other suitable means.

ilarger atone endthan'the' other, the free 'edges of the plate'bemg' bent upwardly to Figs. 1 and with their large ends. tQ-.

is-arranged behind the last bucket 53 and secured to the side bars as at 59, and the rearend of the trough opens into a receptacle-E150 secured to the side bars, and chutes (3l,"iead from the receptacle to each side of themiachine.

The machine is moved from place to place oi'i'lthe wagon, and when in operation. the

frame formed by the side bars 36 is moved longitudinally, by the rotation of the sprocket wheel 32, which is driven by the motor through the shaft 13-. At the same time the carrier comprising the chains 45 and the buckets 46'is driven, by means of the gear wheel 34 meshing with the gear wheel 47. The reciprocation of the frame forces the cutters into the earth on the downward the chutes to each side of the machine.

movement, thus cutting off a portion which is moved upward by the carrier and delivered to the receptacle and from thence passesgy n the upward movement of the frame, the cutters pass over the earth freely owing to their peculiar formation, and by means of the roller 48 the depth-of each cut may be nicely adjusted, in accordance with the hardness of the soil. By means of the lever 9 the carriage maybe moved on the tracks, as the dirt isremoved, and when the full length cut is finishd the entire machine may be moved by the wagon. The reciprocating frame may also be released from or connectedto the motor at any time by means of the clutches.

It will be noticed from an inspection of Fi 4, that the side bars 36, are substantially of an inverted U-shape, and the flanges of the cutters are inserted between the side walls 62-63 of the side bars.

I claim- 1. A ditching machine comprising a carriage, means for moving the carriage, a motor thereon, a shaft journaled on the carriage, a clutch for connecting the shaft and the motor, a pair of al'ined stud shafts journaled at the front end of the carriage and having a driving connection with the first shaft, gear wheels secured eccentric-ally on each shaft, a shaft connecting the centers of the gear wheels, a frame comprising parallel side bars journaled on the shaft, a shaft journaled at the upper end of the frame, gear wheels on the shaft meshing with the first named gear wheels, sprocket wheels on the shaft, rollers j ournaled in the frame at spaced intervals, sprocket chains passing over the sprocket wheels and the rollers, vanes connecting the chains at spaced intervals, cutters arranged transversely of the side bars at thelower end thereof, said cutters being arched'down- -wardly and having their front ends of greater cross section, and beingarranged in nested. relation, the edges of the vanes being shaped to correspond with the the cutters, a receptacle to which the trough delivers and chutes leading from the receptacle to each side of the machine.

A-ditching machine comprising a carriage, means for moving the same, a pair of the frame, wheels on the shafts, wrist pins on the wheels, a frame journaled on the wrist pins, said frame comprising parallel side bars, a shaft journaled' on the upper end of the frame, sprocket wheels on the shaft, rollers journaled in the frame at spaced intervals, .prockct chains over the sprocket wheels and the rollers, vanes connecting the chains at spaced-intervals, cutters arranged transversely of the side bars at the lower end thereof, said cutters being arched downwardly and-havin their front ends of greater cross section, am being arranged in nested relation, the edges of the vanes being shaped to correspond with the cross section of the cutters, a trough behind the cutters, a receptacle to Which the trough delivers, chutes leading from the receptacle to each side of the machine, a motor on the carriage, a driving connection between the motor and the stud shafts and a driving connection between the stud shafts and the last named shaft.

3. A ditching machine comprising a carriage, wheelsjournaled at the front of the frame and provided with wristpins, a frame comprising side bars journaled on the wrist pins, and shafts connecting the bars at spaced intervals, sprocket chains supported by the shafts, vanes connecting the chains at spaced intervals, cutters arranged transversely of the side bars at the lower end thereof, said cutters being arched downwardly and having their front ends of greater cross section, and being arranged in nested relation, the edges of the vanes being shaped to correspond with the cross section of the cutters, a trough behind the cutters, a receptacle to which the trough delivers, chutes leading from the receptacle ing the w ieels and a driving connection between the wheels and the shafts.

4. A ditching machine comprising a carriage, wheels journaled at the front of the comprising side bars journaled on the wrist pins, and shafts connecting the bars at spaced intervals, sprocket chains supported by thcshafts, spaced intervals, cutters connecting the bars near their lower ends, said cutters being convex and conical and arranged with their cross section of the cutters, a trough behind to each side of the machine, means for driv-' frame and provided with wrist pins, a frame I vanes connecting the chains at of alined stud shafts journaled at the front passing large ends to the trout and i tion, the edges of the vanes being curved to fit the inner face of the cutters, ,means for receiving the dirt from thevvanes and de livering it to the sides of the machine, means for driving the wheels, a driving connection between the wheels and the shafts, and means for adjnsting the depth of the cut of the cutters; v

5. A ditching machine comprisin a reciprocating frame, composed of spaced parallel side bars, shafts jouriialed on'theside bars at spaced intervals, an endless carrier supe ported on the shaftmsaid carrier being prorided at spaced intervals with transverse \tUlES, a p! tirality' of downwardly arched cutting plates arranged transversely of thebars th e edges of the vanes fitting the inner faces of said plates, means for receiving the dirt from the cutters and delivering it to the sides of the machine, means for rec-1pm v rating the frame and means for operating the carrier. V

(3. A ditching machine comprising a re" rocahle frame, means for reciprocating frame, cutters connected with the lower 1' of the frame, on the hottonrihereeil, cutters comprising downwardly arched plates, arranged transversely otthe frame} in nested relatiom means for adjnstiiig the comprising a reeiprcmating frame, provided with a plurality of arched cutting plates arranged in nested relation, and means sup ported by the frame, and cotjpei'ating with the plates for removing the soil from the ditch V 9. in a ditching machine, a cutting device 3 ing a frame provided with a pluralarched cutting plates arranged in relation, and means for m ving the IBIEWARD J. SCHRAMKE.

T /dines es:

Wit. J. Snrrn, J. E. Axnnnsox. 

